What is your first memory at mer??
I must have been 14 years old, and I had the opportunity to get on a Guilvinec fishing trawler. Since childhood, family members had been leaving on this trawler, which belonged to my parents' fishing friends and I had always dreamed of it. I used to go for a lot of trips on the boats at the dock, but I wasn't old enough to leave for a whole day.
When I was old enough, I was able to do it. At 5am, they came to get me and I went for a day at sea with them. I didn't even take advantage of it, I was sick all the time, I didn't even see a fish. I was sick to my stomach, I could only smell the smell of diesel..
What was the trigger that made you want to start this carrière??
I wanted to go boating since I was a child, even though I came to the competition very late. After my pole vaulting career, I was contacted to participate in the America's Cup in 2007, with the K-Challenge team, on the winch columns.
It was the end of my athletic career, I loved the sea and competition, and I thought, let's go, even if I had to start from scratch.
Have you had a mentor or another skipper who has you marqué??
I have met many times with great skippers who have given me advice and with whom I have sailed, such as Roland Jourdain, Nicolas Troussel, Michel Desjoyeaux, Jean Le Cam and Tanguy de Lamotte, who has given me good advice. These great sailing champions liked me and they welcomed me aboard their boats from time to time.
©Yvan Zedda
Which boat left you the best souvenir??
It's very divided. But I would say my first Serenis, the Class40 with which I am racing the Route du Rhum. It's a big souvenir?!
After that I had a lot of fun on other boats. My very first racing boat was the America's Cup boat, and it is now on display in Lorient. It is an important memory because I was under contract and truly committed.
What is your greatest success with marin??
There are some really nice moments on the boat. Races won with a crew, such as the Guyader Grand Prix, with my friends, family or partners. On crewed races, there is sharing and it's important on a boat: feelings, emotion, meals or even sunsets.
On a daily basis, what is your practice of plaisance??
I mainly go motorboating to go to Les Glénan with my family. The place is so beautiful and semi-rigid, it's easy to bring the children. I also go there from time to time under sail.
If you hadn't been a skipper, what would you have fait??
I don't know, maybe in the line of other champions I would have worked in television as a consultant or integrated a sports company into the marketing or communication department. A place where I could have used my sporting skills.
Portrait
Jean Galfione is a French athlete specialising in pole vaulting. He won an Olympic title at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. At the end of his career, he had the opportunity to devote himself to sailing and embarked on this new professional project, which had fascinated him since childhood.
In 2007, he participated in his first America's Cup sailing competition, with the French K-Challenge challenge, and will officiate as a "grinder" (wincher). He also works in the media as a commentator and presenter.
He will then embark on a career as a Class40 ocean racer and will participate in several races, including the 2014 Route du Rhum.
